SCOTTISH Labour have called for the delay of the Independence Referendum Bill, accusing the “reckless” SNP of dodging scrutiny by publishing it during the holidays.
The party’s leader Kezia Dugdale, said releasing the Bill this week, when Holyrood is in recess, was a breach of the “spirit” of the ministerial code.
A spokesman for Finance Secretary Derek Mackay rubbished Dugdale’s call, accusing the “increasingly pointless” Labour of being no more than the “Tories little helpers”.
Nicola Sturgeon announced at SNP conference last Thursday that the Scottish Government would publish the bill for consultation this week.
This bill, the First Minister told delegates in Glasgow, was to give Scotland “the ability to reconsider the question of independence and to do so before the UK leaves the EU – if that is necessary to protect our country’s interests.”
Dugdale said “At a time when we face so many challenges in Scotland’s future, in our economy, our schools and our NHS it makes absolutely no sense to return to the arguments of the past.
“Rather than focusing on the bread and butter issues, the SNP is pressing ahead with plans for a divisive second referendum, and is trying to dodge scrutiny by publishing the consultation during parliamentary recess.
“That simply isn’t good enough. Nicola Sturgeon must present her plans to the Scottish Parliament, not just to the party faithful at conference.
“The First Minister promised voters in 2014 that the result would stand for a ‘generation’. She should keep that promise. Scottish Labour will vote against any bill for a second referendum.”
The Ministerial Code says that “when the Parliament is meeting, Ministers should ensure that important announcements of Government policy are made, in the first instance, to the Parliament.”
In her letter to the Presiding Officer, Dugdale say making the announcement at conference “is not within the spirit of these rules”.
A spokesperson for Derek Mackay replied: “This is a silly, incoherent attack from an increasingly pointless Labour Party.
“The announcement that a referendum bill would be published for consultation was already made to Parliament last month in our Programme for Government – and of course, the whole point of having a public consultation is to enable proper scrutiny. “Every single part of Scotland voted to Remain in the EU but a Tory Government with just one MP out of 59 here wants to drag us out of Europe – so rather than acting as the Tories’ little helpers, Labour’s time would be better spent working with the SNP to ensure all possible options are kept open to respect that vote.”
The Scottish Government have been coy over when the Independence Referendum Bill will be published, but best guesses suggest tomorrow is mostly likely.
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